PlayBook buyers line up as prices slashed for RIM's tablet computer

Retailers have slashed PlayBook prices by more than 50 per cent in a bid to boost sales of Research in Motion’s tablet computer.

The strategy, which is seeing prices for the PlayBook start at $199 for the 16 GB version of the PlayBook, appears to be working. Buyers started lining up early this morning for a chance to buy the deeply discounted PlayBooks. When RIM released the PlayBook, which has seen sales lag far behind Apple’s iPad, the starting price was $500.

The photos here show Best Buy buyers lined up waiting to snag a PlayBook at less than half of RIM’s suggested retail price. Best Buy reports it has sold more than 5,000 PlayBooks so far. Best Buy said the pricing doesn’t represent a price drop but rather a limited time pricing offer than only runs until December 2.

The 64-GB PlayBook is selling for $400, down from its initial $700. The latest price drop follows earlier specials on the PlayBook but probably represents the deepest and most widespread discounts to date with most retailers matching the new sale prices.